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Bourbon Review: Maker’s 46

This month I decided to focus on my love of bourbon. One of my favorites has always been Maker’s Mark for it’s smooth clean taste. Any bourbon drinker will tell you that they have enjoyed a glass or two of their main sell. So let’s discuss that a bit first. Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whiskey is known for its rich buttery notes with hints of honey, raisin, and almonds. It also includes hints of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, oranges, and a number of spices. But how does it really taste for the regular lay person? Not everyone is a spirits connoisseur that can taste and describe the drink in such technical terms. For the rest of us however, we need to be able to discuss this is layman’s terms. I like to review drinks as if I would be talking to group of my friends.

Let’s cut to the chase. Makers Mark is delicious. The taste is smooth and rich and for me the best way to drink it is neat. Without the merge of ice or a “chaser” of coke, club soda, or whatever your favorite mixer, you can taste the full body of the bourbon. That said, one of the things that impresses me most and is my personal favorite parts of Maker’s Mark is that it doesn’t have that burning sensation that most top shelf and dryer whiskeys have. The taste is so incredibly smooth, drinking straight isn’t impossible or extremely harsh. It’s truly the only way to drink it. That said, I will definitely say that this easily in my top 5 Whiskey choices.

Now let’s get to the meat and potatoes (which go great with whiskey by the way). What I really want to review is Maker’s 46. About two years ago, Maker’s released “46”, which is the premium version of their already premium version. So my girlfriend and I decided to try it out at home without the buzzing business of a bar.

Yes we HAD to put it in a fancy bottle, we wanted to be legit.

It’s a Wednesday night and we decided to due some mid week activity that consisted of a bourbon tasting. We decided to try it neat as we wanted to get the full feel and taste of the bourbon. Disclaimer: My girlfriend really REALLY loved the bourbon. What really impressed her was the fact that there isn’t the harshness and burn of most bourbons. With the 46, the finish lends to the burn passing before the flavor actually hits you. So that was a huge positive. The color is a deep chestnut color making it a little darker than the regular Maker’s Mark. As for the taste there’s definitely hints of sweetness which comes from caramelized sugar and red berries to start off with a finish of vanilla, cinnamon, and spices. Much like the original, this is the perfect drink to drink straight without the harshness of most bourbons.

My overall opinion is this is one of the best bourbon’s I’ve had. Is it better than the original Maker’s Mark? Absolutely. I highly recommend it to any bourbon drinker!